Adjustment
by MaidenMoonshine
Summary: Young forensic scientist Miss Abby Scuito has just joined NCIS - and she's already managed to nearly get herself killed. With no parents to help, can someone else assist in absolving her guilt? WARNING: includes disciplinary spanking of a consenting adult and memories of childhood spankings
1. Chapter 1

**I wanted to do a short story on Abby's first spanking from Gibbs. I believe that fiftyshadeswritergal has been requesting it for awhile. Girlie, this story is for you! **

**Enjoy! Please review at the end!**

**...**

"Let me tell you, if you were my daughter, I'd be turning you over my knee for the spanking of your life for pulling that stunt!"

Abby shrank back from the stern words, hoping against hope that the leather seat of the car would swallow her up and hide her from her VERY unhappy boss.

_Why did he have to insist on driving me home?! If this tongue lashing goes on any more, I'll start crying! I won't be able to help myself. _

Granted, Mister Supervisory Leader Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs had good reason to be mad. Looking back at her actions of the day - namely, following the team to a crime scene in the middle of gang territory just because she wanted to photograph the impressive blood spatters for her planned art collection - Abby could admit that she had acted stupidly. The director had let her off due to her just joining the agency two months ago - he did not want to fire or suspend her over what she swore and he was certain would be a one-time offense. After a stern warning, he had sent her with Gibbs, the strict team leader who insisted on driving her home - probably to give her a scolding that would make her ears burn off.

Her newness to the job was no excuse - anyone with half a brain could have told her that what she was doing was dangerous, and Abby had far more than half a brain. Unfortunately, ever since Gibbs had caught her at the edge of the crime scene - right as shots rang out from hidden perpetrators - her brain had been busy processing the scolding that Gibbs was diligently issuing. The thousand worst-case scenarios he presented were hard to ignore because they had almost come true. And although some people would have been offended by the declaration that they deserved a spanking, the threat was familiar to the young Miss Scuito who had been on the receiving end of dozens of hearty, well-deserved spankings from her daddy as she grew up and entered young adulthood. Punishment was to be expected after any major disaster she caused. Because of her personal history, Abby fully accepted Gibbs' right to scold her harshly. If he had not been beside her to push her down, she could have been injured or even killed. At least she was alive to listen to the lecture.

She shuddered as they pulled up in front of her apartment. Despite her gothic appearance, she did not love death. It had already stolen so much from her.

"Just be glad I'm not your father!" Gibbs growled as he let her out.

Now that stung.

He continued to speak as she stood by the car. His tone changed. She could sense that it was somehow gentler. He said something about having a good night, seeing her in the morning, but those last two sentences - _Let me tell you, if you were my daughter, I'd be turning you over my knee for the spanking of your life for pulling that stunt! Just be glad I'm not your father! - _had left her too numb to respond. She stumbled up to her apartment and let herself in - coming face to face with the picture of her deceased parents. Every morning they were the last thing she saw before heading to work. Each day she promised to be smart, careful, good, faithful to her job. Guilt overwhelmed her.

"I'm sorry!" she sobbed, leaning her head against the cool glass pain and letting the tears escape onto her cheeks. "I failed you! Daddy, you would be so disappointed!"

...

**There will likely be three more chapters. **

**Please review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks to all of the reviewers - Troubled-Angel-26, Hippiechic81, A, Guest, fiftyshadeswritergal, and Grumpy Alchemist! I love hearing from reviewers. **

**This chapter focuses on Abby remembering her parents. The next chapter will focus more on Gibbs and her (and explain why he said the seemingly heartless things that he said). I hope to update on Wednesday or Thursday. **

**Enjoy!**

**...**

Abby cried herself out, ashamed of her failure. Today she had failed at the most important part of her life - living a life that she parents would be proud of. And now she was stuck with the guilt. There was no discipline to wipe her slate clean.

Abby had always been treated to lots of "good, old-fashioned" discipline as a child. She had been a strong-willed kid that had "required" it often. She had kicked and screamed and fought it, but the punishments removed guilt and let her start over. The love of her parents always seemed more clear to her - at least after the fact - when she had a soapy-tasting mouth, stuffy nose from standing in the corner, or a sore little bottom. Her parents had attempted becoming more permissive as she got older, letting her figure out life on her own; but although it worked for her brother, the removal of immediate consequences sent Abby spiraling. The guilt from numerous small offenses that normally would have been paid for with a week-long grounding or painful but quick switching had built until she began to act out in self-destructive fashion.

Finally, at sixteen after a mountain of trouble avalanched onto her, she and her parents had confronted the fact that letting Abby figure out life on her own was a disaster. Abby had taken a deep breath and quickly, before her courage ran out, signed her request that they go back to the way things had been, spankings and all. Daddy, who was rather old-fashioned, agreed immediately and Gloria, her more free-spirited mother, had come around to their point of view after realizing that if discipline was what Abby believed she needed that it was what Abby was going to get.

Boy, had she gotten it!

Abby still grimaced as she thought back to the many typically-childhood chastisements that she had received to clear her rather-full slate at the time. By the time she went to bed all privileges had been revoked for the foreseeable future, she was grounded for a mouth, her mouth burned from being soaped, her legs hurt from standing in the corner, and her bottom felt like it was on fire from the longest spanking she had ever received.

But she had been hugged, kissed, and forgiven. And the guilt was gone.

Over the years she had continued to rest secure in the fact that she would be held accountable for her actions. Even visits home from college were often punctuated with spankings for misdeeds or foolish actions that she confessed to receive atonement. There was no real shame in having her parents correct her, only a healthy dread of how they were going to do it. If she felt shame it was only for her actions.

How would her parents have reacted now?

She could see them in her mind's eye, looking at her.

"Abby, why?" her mother Gloria would have signed sadly.

"I don't know," she would have replied. And she did not.

"With me," Daddy would have signed with a stern look that would have catapulted her heart down to her toes. That uncomfortable squirmy feeling would have started. She would have slowly dragged her feet to her room, dreading the reason she was being taken there.

Daddy would have sat down on a chair in front of her bed and scolded her.

"You do not risk your life, my Abigail," he would have signed, forcing her to keep eye contact with him. At the end of the scolding lecture he would have come to the dreaded question - "What does self-destructive behaviour earn you?"

She would have tried to avoid answering, but end up giving him the answer they both already knew - "a spanking".

He would have nodded sadly and reached out to gently pull her over his knee, No attempt to escape the upcoming punishment would be successful. With such a serious offense, she would probably have her bottom bared for a paddling, strapping, or switching - possibly a combination of the implements after a warm-up with his hand. By the end of the punishment she would have been doubly sure that she would never risk her life so carelessly again. And then, wrapped up her daddy's strong arms with Gloria now nearby with a post-spanking snack before bed, she would be told that she was forgiven and the old load of guilt would melt away.

But that was no longer how things were.

She might be safe from the bullets of a gang member, but if the guilt continued its asassination attempt on her life, how long would it be before she dove back into an equally or more dangerous situation?

...

**Next chapter: Abby makes a difficult decision. **

**Please review! **


	3. Chapter 3

**Okay, this was hard to write at the beginning, but while waiting for a pasta casserole to bake I was able to write a lot! **

**Unfortunately, I won't be able to promise much for updates over the next few days. I ask for your patience. My great uncle just suicided yesterday (which is so weird with having posted that last chapter of "Glittery Grumps" on that topic; I'm a little weirded out by that). Today I've been helping arrange the reception, figure out where people will be going, alerting family members, etc.. This was nice to write while cooking, but I doubt that I will have much time to write until Sunday after the service. Maybe if I need an escape, but I'll probably be very stuck in the real world for a bit. Then I have a job interview that I need to prepare for on Tuesday and now I am rambling like Abby. I'm tired! About two hundred cookies, a cookie casserole, a pasta casserole, a ham, and two and a half dozen oatmeal muffins later (plus baking bacon and pasta for the casserole and two pie crusts to turn into pies tomorrow morning), I am exhausted! **

**Sorry if there are mistakes here. I'm really tired! Let me know if you find any and I can try to correct them when I have a moment. **

**I'll thank everyone for reviews in the next chapter. For now, please just know that I am thankful and that I am still writing these stories! Until I have time to update, thank you for your patience! **

**Enjoy!**

**... **

Abby paced back and forth in front of her front door.

_Should I? _

_Maybe. _

_Maybe not. _

_Will he think I am crazy? Maybe I kinda am. _

_But I can't keep the guilt forever! And I don't want Gibbs to be mad at me. The director didn't punish me. I basically got away with that. I nearly got away with risking my life, plus everyone else's around me! YIKES! That is BAD! Pretty much the worst thing that I have ever done, except maybe ... FOCUS!  
_

_I can't get away with that! If I do, I just know that I'll do something else that's stupid and bad and then I might get fired! _

_I can't get fired! I love my lab. I don't want to be bad, it just happens. _

_Oh, and Gibbs was so upset! _

_Apparently he believes in spanking. Maybe ..._

_Maybe not!_

_What am I thinking?! I can't go to Gibbs and ask him to spank me! That would be so weird! _

_But spankings aren't really weird - just a little painful. Or a LOT painful!  
_

_He said that he would spank me if I was his daughter. Maybe if I ask him to just treat me like ..._

_Abigail Scuito! Just make up your mind. _

_Was I bad? _

_Yes. _

_Do I deserve to be punished? _

_Yes. _

_Do I deserve to be spanked? _

_I don't want to be, but I do deserve it. _

_I don't want Gibbs mad at me._

_Maybe if I ask him to punish me, maybe he'll stop being mad and will be able to forgive me. _

_I hope so, 'cause I'm going to go ask him before I lose my nerve. _

_..._

Abby shifted nervously in front of the front door. By her estimate she had been standing there for the last five minutes and thirty-six seconds. She wanted, _needed_ to knock, but every time that she tried her hand felt as heavy as lead and it took all of her courage to keep from running full speed back to her hearse to drive back home.

_Just do it. Just do it. Just do it. Just do ..._

The door swung open and Gibbs stood there, looking at her. Abby felt her eyes widen until she was sure that she resembled a raccoon, her mouth was as dry as the Sahara, and her legs felt like they were bolted to the front porch. Yet at Gibbs' motion for her to step inside, her body somehow obeyed - for once.

"See you found my place," Gibbs noted casually. Abby nodded jerkily in response. Gibbs smiled, just as if he had not be chewing her out two hours earlier. "You know, the door's always unlocked. If you ever need anything, just come on in. If I'm not up here, I'll be down in my basement, building my boat."

"Oh."

_Of the thousands of words in the English language, that's the only one that I can think of saying?! Now he'll really think that I'm stupid! And wait? A boat in a house? Cool!  
_

They stood there in silence, Abby trying to corner her courage and Gibbs leading her into the living room and fetching her a glass of water without saying a word. Silence was his language of choice and he spoke it fluently. Abby nervously accepted the water, accidentally sloshing it. Gibbs just as silently went to get a piece of paper towel and dried up the mess. All the while Abby felt more and more unnerved. She stood, deciding to just leave and never speak a word about her true intention, but as she turned toward the door Gibbs stopped her.

"Abs," he said softly, gently, using his new nickname for her, "Why did you come here?"

"I'm so sorry!" she burst out.

"I know."

"You ... you do?"

"Yep."

_How ...?_

"I can read it in your body language."

_Oh. _

"But that's not why you came here."

It was a statement. Abby looked at Gibbs speculatively for a moment, trying to figure out if he could read minds, then remembered exactly why she was there and flushed bright pink.

"Um, it was ... stupid."

"You're a smart girl. I doubt that you came here for a stupid reason."

"Um, well ..."

"Spit it out," Gibbs coaxed in a surprisingly patient voice. Abby hazarded a look into his eyes. They were ... gentle. And suddenly she was pouring out her request.

"You ... you said earlier that if I was your ... if I was your daughter you would ... you would spank me and even though I'm not your daughter would you spank me because I know that I deserve it because I deserve to be punished and I wasn't punished for doing stupid stuff and that's not right and if I'm not punished then I might do it again and then I'll cause even _more_ trouble and...!"

"Abs."

The one syllable was enough to stop her rant. Gibbs gently patted her shoulder and looked her in the eyes.

"Let's just talk through this calmly. Then we can figure out what to do. Okay?"

Abby took a deep gulping breath. "Okay."

...

**Please review! **

**I wasn't totally pleased with that cut off point but it is a pretty good one. Plus, for a chapter that I only planned to write for a few minutes, it got to a good size! **

**Have a good weekend, everyone! And if you pray, please pray for my family during this tricky time. Thanks! **


	4. Chapter 4

**Hi, everyone! I'm back! **

**First, thanks for all the support over the last week and a half. All the kind words and wishes and prayers were very much appreciated! **

**Thanks to all of the reviewers over the last two chapters - Guest, NCISenthusiastic, Grumpy Alchemist, fiftyshadeswritergal, KrisShannon, Ullswater, A, Guest, Troubled-Angel-26, DS2010, xstargirlx123, spacekitten2700. Your words were appreciated. **

**However, there was one comment that I deleted from a Guest - one that went like "thank god that I had time to waste, because that is what I did reading this" and included such stellar lines as "were you on speed while you wrote this?" and remarks about how most of my stories are like I'm on speed, but this last chapter was the worst. Hmm, well, Guest, let me respond. I did not expect that last chapter to be my best. I was writing it as a cathartic experience after finding out my great uncle suicided. Getting your "wonderful" (sarcasm intended) review - fully bashing, without a word of help - frustrated and hurt me during such a sensitive time. I wish that I had saved it to post here for an example of how NOT to review! Apparently, that was what you wanted to do, wasn't it? There is no other reason that you would write such caustic words, especially after reading many of my stories (as you mentioned in the review). There are many things that I would like to tell you, but as you remained cowardly anonymous, I will measure my words. You are apparently not a writer - no writer that has commented on my writing has ever been cruel with their words, for they know the power and pains of writing. So, as I believe that this will be the only cure for you, please write a story - I dare you. When you're done, let me know about it. I'll read it. If I like it, I'll leave a comment. If I see issues, I'll leave a constructive comment. If I don't like it, I'll walk away without making you feel like trash - because that is how a real reviewer should act! Please, if you want to change and be kind, you are welcome to read my stories. If you want to continue being a basher, just know that you are considered an unwelcome guest.  
**

**Sorry for the rant! That was the most hurtful review that I have ever received and it was on one of the most exhausting - physically and emotionally - days that I've had recently. **

**On a bright note, fiftyshadeswritergal agreed to help me out and be my proofreader for this chapter. Thanks, Quinta! ;) I loved your help! **

**Now that I've writen an author's note nearly long enough to be a chapter, let's move on to the story! Thanks for your patience. Enjoy!**

...

"How about you just sit down on the sofa so that we can talk about this?" Gibbs suggested. Abby complied, still trying to catch her breath after her burst of speech. Gibbs took a seat and pulled it around so that it was in front of her, then sat down and looked her straight in the eye. "So, you're asking me to punish you for your actions today?"

Abby _tried_ to gulp, but her throat was too dry. Instead she nodded. Gibbs looked at her for a moment, seemingly reflecting.

"And for the form of punishment, you are asking me to spank you?"

Abby nodded again, relaxing slightly at the calm tone that Gibbs was using. He was neither dragging her across his knee right this second, nor was he scoffing at her request. He was acting as if he regularly had distressed goth scientists up to their ears in trouble come barging in on him in the evenings. He seemed to be deep in thought. He finally spoke, "You know, Abby, that would be very off-the-grid for me to deal with you in that way. I'm not denying that I've used corporal punishment as a means of discipline on some of my people in the past - only when they agreed to it, of course. But it is not a normal NCIS form of discipline."

"But if it works, why can't you use it on me?" Abby asked.

Gibbs smiled slightly. "I've wondered that myself, about lots of agents" he stated. Then he turned stern again. "But you aren't exactly one of my people, Abby. You're a scientist, not an agent on my team - that means that you answer to the director, not me."

Abby sighed in frustration. "But that's why I'm here!"

"Why?"

"Because!" Abby waved her hands, becoming more distressed as she expounded. "Because the director said the same thing - 'you're a scientist, not an agent, Miss Scuito. If you break protocol in this way again, then you will suspended', then sent me back to my lab! I didn't get in any trouble at all, and I knew that what I was doing was wrong! You had told me 'no', but I disobeyed your order and went anyway, even though I knew better and it was totally stupid to do that. Why in the world am I allowed to disobeyed a direct order, risk my life and those of others, and totally get away with it? Why are you upset at me instead of the director? Why?!" The weight of her guilt was pressing down, driving her crazy as she tried to figure out this strange, consequence-free zone in which she now found herself.

Gibbs' frown grew deeper. "I don't know why, but I can tell you that if you were on my team you would not be getting away with it." He paused and tipped Abby's chin up with his finger so that she was looking him directly in the eyes. "And if you ever act so dangerously again, I will go to the director and I will insist that you be appropriately punished." Abby flushed and tried to pull away, but he held her there. "But, you're right - you do deserve to be disciplined for your actions today."

"Yes, sir," Abby confirmed. "I ... I just am too scared that if I get away with this, then I'll probably try it again in the future. I was always like that growing up, you know. I'd be really good - or at least I'd _try_ really hard to be good! - but then I'd get into trouble and if I just got scolded and not punished than I would almost always end up doing it again, or something even worse! And then I wouldn't be good until I was punished for being bad."

"You need consequences to help you control yourself?"

Abby shrugged. "It sounds kinda childish, but, yeah."

"Not childish, just honest."

Abby chewed her lip anxiously. I_ might regret this. _"So, I know that you're not _technically_ my team leader, but would you ...?"

"Be able to discipline you for disobeying me?" Gibbs asked. Abby slowly nodded. "Abs, that would totally change our relationship. If I discipline you now, it won't do any good unless we both know that if you mess up again you'll be getting the same consequences, just as if you were mine. You would be treated like any other member of my team. Are you sure that you want to adjust our relationship to that?"

_Am I? Am I? Uh, NO! But do I need it? Yea...h.  
_

Gibbs seemed to sense Abby's hesitation. "If you don't want that option but need consistency, I can talk to Morrow for you and he can decide on appropriate disciplinary actions. That would probably work."

"Umm..." Abby hesitated.

"Or," Gibbs said gently, "Why not just tell your father? If he's anything like me, he'll take care of any consequences after hearing half of the story." He noticed Abby's eyes overflowing with silent tears and immediately asked, "What's the matter, Abby?"

"You're right!"

"Why's that upsetting? You're afraid to tell him?"

"No! I can't tell him! He's dead!"

...

**Da da dah! What do you think will happen next? Please review!**


	5. Chapter 5

**WARNING: this chapter contains spanking. Please don't read if that will bother you. Posting mean comments if you read and then are offended will NOT change how I write! **

**Thanks to all the kind reviewers! Guest, fiftyshadeswritergal, xstargirlx123, Gibbs4Eva, Troubled-Angel-26, Fan, KrisShannon, NCISJunkie79, A, Grumpy Alchemist, Fashionista-girl, and my dear sick Guest who asked for an update to cheer up their rainy day! I hope that it is still day where you are so that you can read this chapter, which I dedicate to you due to your special request for it today! Feel better soon! Sending good thoughts and prayers! Really, all of you readers and reviewers, thank for giving me a reason to share my words with the world! :D **

...

"Dead?" Gibbs asked gently. Abby nodded, blinking back the tears. That was the first time that Gibbs hugged Abby without her first initiating an embrace. "Oh, Abs, I'm sorry."

"Wait! You just broke one of your rules," Abby noted, trying to think of anything except _that_.

"Sometimes there are things more important than keeping the rules," Gibbs said gently. "If I had known, I wouldn't have said what I did."

"You wouldn't?" Abby asked, wanting to confirm Gibbs' commitment.

"No. I know that ... it would have hurt you and I'm sorry about that. I haven't known you that long, but I do care too much for you to hurt you like that on purpose."

"I know," Abby sniffled, wiping her nose.

"But," Gibbs said in a slightly sterner voice, "I can see that it is dangerous for you to be free of consequences, which I can and will give to you when you engage in such risky behaviour."

"Like today?" Abby asked while hanging her head.

"Yep." Gibbs gently tilted her chin up. "Abs, if you need me to discipline you like a father by spanking you, I could do that. I resisted at first because if I had a daughter and some new co-worker of his started spanking her, I'd feel worried."

"I guess that makes sense," Abby admitted. "But I don't have daddy anymore."

"And I don't ... have kids to watch out for," Gibbs added, rather quietly.

"So, we make a good match?"

Gibbs looked flustered. "Abby, I would never mean this to be anything ... anything ..."

Abby caught his meaning and her eyes grew big. "That way? EW! Like, you're nice, but I wouldn't want that - EVER! And really, spankings aren't sexual to me. I know for some people they are, but honestly? I HATE them!"

"Good," Gibbs said. "Then maybe we should get a piece of paper and write out our expectations. That way, you won't turn around and sue me."

"Sue you? For spanking me when I asked you to?" Abby frowned. Gibbs chuckled.

"You haven't had the spanking yet," he said sagely. "Let me guess - you always kicked, screamed, and cried through every spanking you ever got?"

Abby squinted her eyes, thinking back. "Pretty much."

"Then we need to get this agreement on paper."

"Oh, and rules!" Abby added.

"Rules?"

"You said that if you spanked me now, we'd both need to know that there would be consequences for future bad things I do. So, we need a list of rules."

Gibbs smiled a little. "For once, I can follow your thinking."

...

Abby shifted nervously in front of Gibbs. He was seated on the sofa. She eyed the wooden spoon next to him warily.

"Are you sure ..." she began for the fifth time.

"Yep. Risk your life and I'll be paddling you next time. As this is your first spanking from me, we'll just stick with the spoon. Unless you want to keep arguing about it?" Gibbs asked with a clear warning in his tone.

"Nope!" Abby squeaked.

"Now, this is your last chance to back out. Are you sure that you want to give me the role and right to disciplining you?"

Abby nodded.

"Out loud."

"Oh, okay. Yes, sir, I do give you the right to spank me."

"And you agree that you deserve a spanking for risking your life?"

"Yes, sir," Abby admitted nervously.

"Then when you're ready, come here and bend over my knee."

Abby shuffled and bit her lip for a minute, before slowly beginning to move toward him. "I ... I'm nervous!" she blurted.

Gibbs smiled encouragingly as he held out his hand to her which she took thankfully, letting him pull her over his knee so she did not have to rely completely on her own diminishing supply of courage. "It'll be over in a minute, Abs. Are you ready?"

"Not really!"

"Abs."

_That warning tone again1_

"I guess so."

She squeezed her eyes shut and winced. She could hear Gibbs take a deep breath, raise his arm, and then ...

SMACK!

"OW!" she squealed.

Gibbs gave her about a dozen of spanks over the seat of her pants with his hand. It was not many, but the experience was hard enough for Abby to handle. The fact that she had let down someone who she respected and who obviously cared enough to help her even in unconventional ways was enough to bring her to tears.

"Please ... no more!" she begged when Gibbs paused for a second.

"You're halfway done," Gibbs encouraged.

"No! No! No more!" Abby cried, trying to wiggle away, but Gibbs held her tightly over his knee.

"Hold still," he warned. Too late Abby discovered that the brief pause had been for Gibbs to pick up the spoon of doom.

CRACK!

"OUCH!" Abby yelled. The new feeling of the spoon smacking her backside was an unwelcome one to say the least. But Gibbs was apparently not going to listen to any of Abby's complaints.

CRACK!

"No more risking you life, Abigail!"

_Oh, dear! He called me by my first name. I hate when people do that! It always means that I'm in trouble! _

CRACK!

_Probably because I AM in trouble! _

CRACK!

"Owie! Gibbs, please STOP!"

CRACK!

CRACK!

"Are you going to disobey me again when I tell you not to go to a crime scene?"

CRACK!

"Nooooo! No, sir!"

_I want to break that darn spoon the first chance that I get! _

CRACK!

"Are you going to foolishly risk your life again trying to get some stupid pictures?"

CRACK!

"Noooo, nooo, I promise, I won't!" Abby sobbed.

_He's right! I AM regretting this! I forgot how much spankings hurt - and he has a good swing! Owie!_

CRACK!

"Are you going to obey and take care of yourself?"

CRACK!

"Noo..ooo...o! I me...an, ye...eee...es ... Gibbs, yes! Just please, no more!"

CRACK!

"I'm sorry!"

Suddenly the spanks stopped raining down on her now very sensitive, burning bottom and she found herself being lifted until she was standing.

"That's what I wanted to hear," Gibbs said calmly. Abby blinked a little, trying to clear the tears from her blurred green eyes. Perhaps it was just the moisture in her own, but looking over at the serious agent who had just set her backside on fire, she seemed to detect some tears swimming around in a pair of kind, compassionate eyes.

That was all it took to have Abby diving into Gibbs' arms for the most comforting hug that she had received in years.

Maybe this adjustment in their relationship was not going to be so bad after all.

...

**Please review! Strange that I have to mention this, but please no reviews suggesting that I am a drug user. (I am not and I don't find comments about that funny.) Any reviews do so will be deleted in the future! Thanks for your cooperation!  
**

**Just a closing chapter after this. Then, after I close out "Adjustment" and "Glittery Grumps", I will be starting a new story, Lord willing, based on Ziva. I plan on calling it "Echos" or something like that. I also plan on creating an accompanying one-shot that deals with this chapter from Gibbs' perspective. Put out a BOLO for them! :D **


	6. Chapter 6

**Here we are, the final chapter! For now I've decided against doing a story on Gibbs' side through this experience. I might change my mind in the future, but for now this is all. I want to thank all of the reviewers over these chapters. I've been through a lot over the last while, but this has helped during those moment where I needed to write and delve into a different world for a few moments. Specific thanks to the reviewers from the last chapter - Hippiechic81, Gibbs4Eva, Troubled-Angel-26, Guest (who I hope is feeling better now!), DS2010, A, Tamara, Grumpy Alchemist, KrisShannon, spacekitten2700, Guest. **

**Special thanks to fiftyshadeswritergal/Quinta for proofreading. If you haven't checked out her story "For the Love of Music" yet, please do so! I'm really loving it and looking forward to the next chapter! ;D **

**Quick question for you guys - I love have some questions at the end of each of my stories so that I can get more feedback on how to write more effectively in the future. My question for the end of this story is the following: over the summer I will be working a lot and have less time to write. Would you prefer short chapters when I can create them, or perhaps one long chapter each week? I'm trying to decide on the format for my Ziva story, so any opinions would be appreciated! As always, any ideas that you would like to see in a future story are welcome - although I won't promise to use them, I will try to fit them in at some point if I can! Ideas for Ziva would have the highest chance of being used currently - I have my main storyline prepared, but little add-ins are always great! **

**Enjoy the weekend! Thanks for being such great readers!**

...

"I'm sorry!" Abby sniffled against Gibbs' shirt. He hesitated for a moment, then awkwardly began rubbing her back, slowly pulling her hair out of her face.

"I know," he said.

"I really am!" she added with a hiccup.

"I know," Gibbs repeated calmly.

"You do?"

Abby could feel Gibbs chuckle as she clung to him.

"What's so funny?" she demanded, pulling back to glare at him.

"You think you're the only one who ever got a spanking?" he asked with a twinkle in his eye.

Abby reached back to try to rub her bottom, but the twinkle disappeared from Gibbs' eye as he noticed what she was doing. He firmly took her hand and shook his head.

"No rubbing," he told her sternly.

"Or what?" Abby challenged. Perhaps not the brightest idea when she was standing right next to the person she had just "adopted" as a father figure - especially one who disliked disrespect as much as Gibbs did.

"Or this." Two more swats - albeit quite light swats - were landed in quick succession on her bottom. "Don't test me, Abs. You'll never like the results."

"OW!" Abby battled against another round of tears. "You ... you meanie!"

Gibbs just smiled, ignoring the mild attempt at a childish insult, and pulled his prickly Abby back into another hug.

"I don't ... I don't want a hug!" she protested through her tears, but she did not give any struggle, instead lying her head against Gibbs' chest once again. He did not say a word, just sat down on the couch and comforted her until she nodded off to sleep, exhausted by her emotional day.

...

"Where am I?" Abby mumbled, sitting up. "Am I at ... ow!"

"You're at my house," Gibbs provided, looking up from where he was reading a newspaper in a chair across the room.

"I remember now!" Abby said ruefully, reaching back to rub her bottom until she froze and looked cautiously at Gibbs. He smiled and nodded.

"It's been awhile now. Not like it'll help you anyway. Now, want to go get a Caf-Pow!?"

...

Abby loved shopping with others, even if it was only a short run to the corner store. Of course, an extra-large Caf-Pow! made this trip even more enjoyable. She convinced Gibbs to buy a package of veggie burgers. When they returned to Gibbs' house, she sat enthroned on the biggest pillow that she could find, rattling away at her drink while she watched him prepare supper.

"Are you going to help?" Gibbs asked.

"Can't! I'm in pain," she responded with a twinkle in her eye. Gibbs just rolled his eyes and cooked on his own, listening to whatever chatter Abby decided to share as she entertained him. After dinner, he made her help with the dishes - although she only needed the suggestion before she eagerly joined in helping him complete the chore.

By the time Abby went home that night - after being given a warm hug, and a kiss on her forehead - the relationship between the two NCIS employees had transitioned from co-workers to family.

...

As Gibbs had predicted, Abby needed consistency in the coming months. Now that there were rules, she seemed set on breaking them all. Gibbs scolded, warned, and even confiscated Caf-Pows!, hoping that he would not have to deliver another spanking, but none of the less-drastic measures had the desired effect. He finally went to her lab one evening after a day of obvious acting out and did what he knew needed to be done.

"You're coming home with me tonight," he told Abby. "You are grounded for the weekend."

"Grounded?!"

"Yes. You've disobeyed and you're going to get a spanking. Then you're going to be grounded at my place all weekend."

Abby blinked her big eyes. "So, you actually ... meant it?" she asked, motioning to the small list of rules that she had placed next to one of her computer monitors for safe-keeping. Listed ominously next to each rule were the possible consequences. Neither Gibbs nor Abby liked the consequences, but when it came down to it...

"Oh, I meant it!"

Gibbs kissed her cheek, then took her by the wrist and led the way to the door. Abby tried to pull away.

"Hey! But I have plans for tonight!"

Gibbs paused, turned around and looked Abby in the eye.

"You do have plans for tonight, young lady, and if you don't want those plans to include riding home on a sore backside after a spanking here in your lab, then you are going to change the attitude and come calmly. You know that you deserve to be disciplined, don't you?"

Abby looked away with her lips tightly pressed, trying to avoid the question. However, Gibbs was the master of silence and he waited comfortably while Abby tried to outlast him. She could only last for half a minute before she admitted "yes" in a tiny voice unfamiliar to her vocal chords.

"Then you can rest assured that you will be getting your well-deserved consequences."

Abby began to chew on her lip nervously. Gibbs noticed the small nervous tic and relented a little.

"C'mon, Abs, the longer you wait to come the longer you are torturing yourself. I'm going to give you what you deserve - nothing less, but also nothing more."

Abby managed a small, nervous smile.

"You know, that's the way my daddy was. I've ... I've missed that. Thank you."

Gibbs just shook his head.

"As I've said before, Abs, don't thank me until after I discipline you!"

...

Half a dozen spankings later (spread out over several months) and Abby was no longer quite _so_ happy that Gibbs was so consistent to his word. But the knowledge of consequences firmly in place did make her more consistent in her actions. Although she would go through tiny sparks of rebellion occasionally, she and Gibbs found their rhythm - and it was made of a lot more love than strictness.

Finally, after years on her own, Abby had a dad again. Little did she know exactly what that meant to Gibbs. But both of them - as well as everyone else who knew of the special relationship between the gruff agent and quirky scientist - knew that it was a bond built in heaven.

Could a small girl with a gorgeous smile and giant heart have had anything to do with that? Gibbs liked to imagine that perhaps she had.

There had been a lot of adjustments - in both their relationship and in Abby's attitude - but they were good adjustments.

Adjustments that would redeem a broken man's soul and a breaking girl's heart.

Adjustments that would open a book that would begin to include stories of happiness and family once again.

Beautiful adjustments.

...

**Thanks for reading! Please don't forget to review! **

**The End**


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